Ex-BNP activist 'wanted to shoot Tony Blair'

Tuesday 13 February 2007 09.24 EST
First published on Tuesday 13 February 2007 09.24 EST

A former candidate for the British National party stockpiled bomb-making chemicals and talked about wanting to gun down the prime minister, a court heard today.

Robert Cottage, 49, also discussed his desire to shoot the Liberal Democrat peer, Lord Greaves, the jury at Manchester crown court was told.

Louise Blackwell QC told the court that police had found several "recipes" for explosive devices at Mr Cottage's home in Colne, Lancashire.

The alarm was raised by his wife, Kerena, who became concerned at her husband's activities, the prosecution lawyer said.

Mrs Cottage "said that he had just received a considerable amount of boxes through the post that she believed contained chemicals," Ms Blackwell said.

"She had concerns about his behaviour; he wanted to shoot certain members of parliament and held strong views and opinions on immigration."

In a written statement read out to the court, Mrs Cottage said her husband had talked about certain specific targets. "Robert Cottage held views about prime minister Tony Blair and Lord Greaves and has said he would like to shoot them," it said.

Mrs Cottage, who suffered mental health problems, had told a social worker her husband possessed several crossbows and had chemicals stored at his home, Ms Blackwell said. This sparked a police raid which uncovered 21 types of chemicals which, when mixed together, could form explosives. Officers also found a 300-page computer document, the Anarchy Cookbook, detailing how to make different types of bombs, the jury was told.

During the raid on September 28 last year, police discovered four air pistols and a number of crossbows with ammunition and ball bearings, which the prosecution claim could be used as shrapnel for bombs.

At the start of today's hearing, Mr Cottage pleaded guilty to one count of possession of explosives.

He denies one count of conspiracy to cause an explosion. A second man, David Jackson, 62, denies one count of possession of explosives and one of conspiracy to cause an explosion.

Miss Blackwell said that following interviews with Mr Cottage, police raided Mr Jackson's home on October 1 and found a bow and arrow and two nuclear protection suits.

"The prosecution say these two men together agreed to order these chemicals... and they intended to make a bomb with them," Miss Blackwell said.

"That much the Crown say is clear due to the information found on the computer.

"The bomb they intended to make would have had the ability to cause damage or cause serious injuries."